18 ·Unfriendly [Antisocial; Lonely] people ·are selfish [^Lseek their own longings/desires]
and ·hate [^Lbreak out against] all good sense.

² Fools do not ·want to understand anything [^Ldelight in understanding].
They only want to ·tell others what they think [^Lreveal/disclose their heart].

³ Do something evil, and people won’t like you.
Do something shameful, and they will ·make fun of [insult] you.

⁴ ·Spoken words [^LThe words of a person’s mouth] can be like deep water,
·but [or and] the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing stream.

⁵ It is not good to ·honor [or show favor to] the wicked
or to be unfair to the innocent.

⁶ The ·words [^Llips] of fools ·start quarrels [or make accusations].
·They make people want to beat them [^LTheir mouth invites a beating].

⁷ The ·words [^Lmouth] of fools will ruin them;
their own ·words [^Llips] will trap them.

⁸ The words of a gossip are like tasty bits of food.
·People like to gobble them up [^LThey go down to one’s inmost parts].

⁹ A person who doesn’t work hard
is ·just like someone who destroys things [^La brother to a destroyer].

¹⁰ The name of the Lord is like a strong tower;
·those who do right [the righteous] can run to him for ·safety [refuge].

¹¹ Rich people trust their wealth like a strong city.
They think it is like the high walls.

¹² Proud people will be ruined,
but ·the humble will be honored [humility comes before glory].

¹³ Anyone who answers without listening
is foolish and ·confused [or a disgrace].

¹⁴ The ·will to live [^Lhuman spirit] can get you through sickness,
but ·no one can live with [^Lwho can bear…?] a broken spirit.

¹⁵ The ·mind [heart] of a person with understanding gets knowledge;
the ·wise person listens to learn more [^Lear of the wise seeks knowledge].

¹⁶ Taking gifts to important people
will help get you in to see them.

¹⁷ The person who ·tells one side of [first tells] a story seems right,
until ·someone else [his friend/neighbor] comes and asks questions.

¹⁸ Throwing lots can settle arguments
and ·keep the two sides from fighting [is decisive against powerful people].

¹⁹ A brother who has been ·insulted [offended] is harder to win back than a walled city,
and arguments separate people like the barred gates of a palace.

²⁰ ·People will be rewarded for what they say [^LFrom the fruit of the mouth of a person is their stomach satisfied];
·they will be rewarded by how they speak [^Lthe yield/gain of their lips satisfies].

²¹ ·What you say can mean [^LIn the power of the tongue are] life or death.
Those who ·speak with care [love it] will ·be rewarded [^Leat its fruit].

²² When a man finds a wife, he finds something good.
It shows that the Lord ·is pleased with [favors] him.

²³ The poor beg for mercy,
but the rich give ·rude [harsh] answers.

²⁴ Some friends may ruin you,
but a real friend will ·be more loyal [cling closer] than a brother.